Briefs

July 04, 2004

Former Maryland priest charged

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) - A man who left the ministry as a priest about two decades ago has been arrested on charges of sexually molesting a boy and girl when he was serving as pastor of a Forestville parish in the 1970s.

Francis Benham, of Illinois, was charged with second- and third-degree sex offenses June 25 by Prince George's County police, court records show.

The 67-year-old is scheduled to appear in Logan County Circuit Court on Tuesday for an extradition hearing, according to Ramon Korionoff, a spokesman for Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey.

Funding issues mean missed pay day

FAIRMONT, W.Va. (AP) - Officials with a Marion County telemarketing company say "an unfortunate sequence of timing" kept about 300 workers from being paid in time for the holiday weekend.

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Aegis Communication employees were told Friday that a cash-flow problem forced the company to pull back paychecks that had been directly deposited into their bank accounts. Most of the company's employees are paid through direct deposit.

An interoffice memo employees released to the media said the company was solvent, but is "heavily reliant on the timing of client payments to address our normal operating cash flow."

Employees said they make about $8 an hour.

Faithful flock to Pa. chapel to see relics

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The 124-year-old St. Anthony's Chapel in Pittsburgh's Troy Hill neighborhood has more than 5,000 relics said to be tied to Jesus, the Virgin Mary, the apostles and numerous saints, according to Sister Margaret Liam Glenane, the chapel's assistant director and tour guide. The chapel claims to have more religious relics than any site except the Vatican.

Because of the allure, people have been flocking to the chapel for years in search of miracles, inner peace and history. Some even believe their cancers were healed by coming to the building, Glenane said.

Glenane or the pastor, the Rev. David Schorr, will say prayers for healing any visitor and allow them to touch a relic to the area that needs healing.

Baby sitter charged with endangerment

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - A man who left an 18-month-old girl alone while he went to pay an electric bill was arrested after the toddler dialed 911 and asked for "mommy."

Patrick O. Emiohe, 22, was arrested Friday and charged with felony child endangerment after State Police troopers arrived at the home and found the girl alone. Emiohe was released after posting bail.

Child Protective Services was called to the home to attend to the uninjured child, the dispatcher said.

The child's mother had left the child with Emiohe while she went to school, according to court records. Emiohe is expected to appear July 13 in Kanawha County Magistrate Court for a preliminary hearing on the charge.